Wooden flexible mat for floors.



No. 684,382. Patented Oct. 8,19".

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GRANT ROSS, OF DES MOINES, lOl/NA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN O. TATE,OF SAME PLACE.

WOODEN FLEXIBLE MAT FOR FLOORS.'

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 684,382, dated October8, 1901.

d Application tiled August 24:, 1900. Serial No. 27,896. (No model.)

To aZZ ww'm it may concern- Be it known that I, GRANT ROSS, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk andState of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Wooden Flexible Mat forFloors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a portable removable wooden iexible floor-mat.

The object of my invention is to provide a flexible floor-mat which maybe readily fashioned to tit any door-space, the aim of my invention moreparticularly being to provide a light portable inexpensive flexiblefloor-mat which can be readily removed, so that the floor-space underthe same may be cleaned, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown in Figure l a view of one ofthe blanks forming one of the keepers as used in my invention. Fig. 2shows a perspective view of two keepers, showing their relative positionwhen connected. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 show cross-sectional views ot' thevarious-shaped bars as used in my mat. Fig. 7 shows a top view of a matembodying my invention, while Fig. 8 discloses a side View, withportions broken away, of a mat embodying my invention as partly rolledup.

My invention embodies, essentially, a plurality of suitable bars, whichbars are provided at the ends with ixed keepers having perforated ears.These bars are then movably and pivotally connected in series one to theother, so asto form a flexible structure of the character described.

In carrying out the aim of my invention I use a plurality of bars f,which may be of any suitable length and of any desired cross-section.These bars f are preferably made of wood. Secured to each barf is a setof keepers, these keepers being in the form of right and left handedcounterpart members and are secured to the ends of the bars. Thesekeepers comprise, essentially, a perforated base ct, through theperforations l of which passes a suitable nail, rivet, or screw, and bymeans of which these keepers are secured to the mat-bars. Extending atright angles from the perforated bases a, the keeperblanks beingapproximately L-shaped in outline, as is shown in Fig. l, is an endplate B, within which is a suitable opening 2, and extending from eachend plate B is a perforated extending ear c, provided near the end withan opening 3, while at a point opposite the plate is further providedwith au imperforate laterally-extending lip d, so bent that the sameextends above and rides upon said base portion a. This lateral extensiond, it will be noticed, is positioned a suitable distance below theopening 2. In Fig. 7 I have shown a plurality of bars f, provided withthese right and left handed counterpart keepers,which have beenconnected to form a flexible structure. To show that the mat may be madeto conform to the structural peculiarities of various-shaped floors, thebars near the the upper end have been made considerably shorter. Inlinking or securing these bars in series the perforated extending earsof one bar are placed adjacent the plates B of the keeper secured to thebar adjacent and upon one side, as is indicated in Fig. 2,when a nail orscrew is passed through these united members to movablyvunite them. Fromthis it will be seen that each bar has fixed or immovably secured to itone set of keepers, while a second set is further pivotally secured toeach bar f. In order to bring these united keepers in proper alinement,aportion of each extending ear c, as is shown at is bent approximatelyinthe form of an ogee, as is shown in Fig. 7. An additional bar is thenunited to these first bars; and this construction is continued to suitthe requirements, so that a continuousflexible mat of any suitablelength or width is provided. c

In case it should be desiredto construct a mat of various widths, sothata keeper is secured to a bar intermediate of the ends,the perforatedextending ears c may be bent at right angles to form bases Y, as isshown in Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noticed that the laterally-extending lipd is so positioned that it rides and extends immediately below theextending ear c of the adjacent connected keeper, while it rides uponits base a, so that it forms a supporting member for the connected ear,as is clearly shown. These pro jecting lips prevent the mat frombuckling upward should any end pressure be applied to the same andinsures the mat being held in a straight condition, While at the sametime being capable of being rolled up upon the side opposite the lips.

Now when a mat constructed according to my invention is to be removed itis simply necessary to roll up one end and form a roll, when a neatcompact mass is formed.

This flexible floor-mat may be rolled exactly in the manner that a stripof linoleum or carpet would be rolled up.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by United States Letters Patent, is-- l. In a mat of thecharacter described a plurality of bars, counterpart keepers fixed tosaid bars, each keeper comprising a perforated end plate, a perforatedbase extending at right angles to said end plate, and a perforatedextending ear, said keepers being secured by means of their bases, eachear fnrther being linked to an adjacent bar by means of a pin passingthrough its connected ears and the end plate of the adjoiningbar, as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In a mat of the character described, aV

plurality of bars, counterpart keepers fixed to said bars, each keepercomprising a Vper#Y 'Y forated end plate, a base extending at rightangles to said end plate, a laterallyprojecting lip extending from saidend plate and resting upon said base, a perforated extendf l" ing earprojecting from said end Yplate, said arranged that the extending yearof one keeper rides upon the projecting lip of th'e adJaeentV 4o keeper,as and for the purpose "set forth'.

GRANT ROSS.l

Witnesses:

J. C. TATE, LIZZIE KEHOE.

